re: Am finding out the hard way no one wants to hire a 37 yr guy for anything.

Hey buddy...you sound like a pretty smart guy with some experience doing several things. You ever thought about working for yourself? Start a small business, put in the sweat equity and take full responsibility for the outcome. It is only on you then. No corporate politics or being at the mercy of others agenda.

Let me tell you a quick story. In 2010, I lost a sales management job I had for 12 years due to political games being played by two factions at the executive level. I was terminated without a warning one day to pacify one guys ego. I was devasted. My 4th child was due in two weeks, and they cut my future out without any care in the world and didn't even give me a severance. Hard core to say the least.

I had options to go work as a commercial sales rep at a few of my former competitors but was so dis-enchanted with the corporate world I just wanted to go it alone. After two months, I came up with a business plan utilizing my previous experience as a chef and in the food service industry. I started a food truck/catering/event concession business in west Ga..
Luckily, I had enough money saved up for the start up capital(about 30k everything free and clear) but little left for working capital. Hence, I worked like a dog sun up to sun down everyday. Prepping, cooking, serving and cleaning.

My business took off. I was doing events like Hangout Festival, Music Midtown and catering all around my area. Then, I got lymphoma and had to undergo 5 months of treatment. Shut my business down and then started back up immediately after I was given the good bill of health. Got rocking again and bam.....relapse. Stage IV lymphoma back worse than before. Spent 65 days living at Emory and had a stem cell transplant. Screwed my body up so bad I could no longer handle the physical nature of the work. But in the limited time I was building a solid reputation and working my tail off....I was building a product with value. I was able to sell the business for enough money to hold me and my family over, comfortably, from Dec. 2012 until now. My strength is almost back and I can't wait to get back to work.

You can do it man. Think about my 43 year old cricket self for a second. I was terminated AND had cancer twice. I have got a double whammy against me but I guarantee you, I could go out and parlay my old contacts into another sales job if I so desire. Maybe I will or maybe I'll start another business. Point is...you can too. Be the man. Control your destiny.